Best Conical Burr Coffee Grinders
It is possible to improve the quality of your morning coffee by grinding your own beans. There are a myriad of different kinds of grinders.
This OXO grinder has conical burrs that produce a grind suitable for French press espresso, drip coffee and French press. For those who are serious about coffee, they may require more precision from this grinder, but it's a great option for beginners.
OXO Brew
If you're into making your own coffee at home, you know that it needs a quality grinder to produce the most flavorful coffee. A high-quality burr mill could cost up to $200, which is prohibitive for those who aren't certain whether they'll use it. That's why the OXO Brew is an excellent alternative for those who want to enjoy freshly ground coffee without spending hundreds of dollars.
The OXO Brew's design isn't flashy but it looks solid. The stainless steel body has an in-built water reservoir that is permanently located at the rear and a thermo caafe at the front. The carafe and tank have been shaped so that the body can be fit into smaller kitchens. The controls are placed below the carafe in order to minimize clutter, and there is an indicator light that lets you know whether it's heating up or brewing.
Oxo consistently brewed well during our tests. The water temperature was within a precise range--197.4 F to 205 F--for the entire test period which was measured by thermocouples located in the grounds basket and the water tank. The brewing time was close to the time that the Specialty Coffee Association recommends for the best drip.
Another benefit of the OXO Brew is it comes with the single-serve feature that lets you to brew a cup of coffee directly into your cup. This feature is not found on other models with a higher price. It can be an advantage for those who prefer to make individual portions of their coffee but aren't keen on the hassle of brewing the entire carafe.
The only downside to the OXO Brew is that it doesn't come with a clock or an automated start time, which can be a pain when you have a hectic schedule. The water tank can be difficult to remove because it has a lid that has to be slid in order to get to the reservoir. It also has an inbuilt descaler, which helps prevent mineral deposits from building up inside the machine.
Baratza Encore ESP
If you're a coffee enthusiast seeking the top burr grinder the Baratza Encore is your best choice. This version of the original Encore was revamped to include upgrades that make it more adaptable to a wider range of brewing methods and provide more versatility than ever before. It's designed for beginner home baristas, as well as anyone looking to keep their options for brewing open by using just one grinder. It comes with a the ability to adjust the grind in a step and has simple controls for baristas who are just starting out and also labeled and notched settings for consistency. Its M2 burrs ensure uniform grinding, and its hopper comes with a quick and easy release feature.
The ESP makes use of a high-torque DC motor with gear reduction, just like the original Encore. However it operates at lower speeds in order to reduce static charge and heat. It's also quieter than classic Encore, and it has a new metal plate that improves stability and burr consistency. It's outfitted with 40 mm M2 conical burrs similar to those found in the more expensive Virtuoso Plus which allows it to get a better distribution of grind size and more consistently shot.
The ESP grind adjustment has 9 microns between each step, providing excellent resolution for espresso and pour over. The new dosing cups fit both 58mm and 54mm portafilters. This improves the ergonomics for manual dosing. The grinder can also be used with a traditional grounds bin for those who prefer an hopper-based workflow.
One disadvantage of the ESP is its inconsistent performance in back-to-back consistency tests, though it still performs better than many other grinders in this price range. The settings for stepped grinds can also be inconsistant, making it difficult to determine the ideal setting for your style of brewing. However Coffeee is well-suited for a wide range of brew methods and provides a remarkable value for its versatility.
The Encore ESP costs a little bit more than other models but its versatility is worth the cost. It can grind espresso and filter brews, and also use the included shims to optimize its performance for pour over brewing.
Baratza DF64
The Baratza DF64 grinder is a good one that works well for pour-over and espresso brewing. The burrs are upgradeable to increase performance, and the hopper is able to accommodate different grind sizes. The DF64 has only a few moving parts, making it simple to maintain and use. It is an excellent choice for those looking for a premium grinder for a reasonable price.
The DF64 Gen 2 is a major improvement over the initial model and will be hard to beat by other grinders within the same price range. The new model is more appealing to the eye. It is a flat-rounded base that can withstand up to 20 grams of beans at a single time and a single dose cradle. It also has an hose made of rubber that pushes air through the grinder to force out any grinds that are not needed.
One of the major problems with the original DF64 was popcorning, which is when coffee beans bounce upward out of the burrs instead of grinding down. This is a common problem with hopper-based grinders that can affect the consistency of your grind. The new DF64 has a much-improved anti-popcorning system that eliminates this problem.
Other issues with the DF64 included a poor quality build, a loose design that caused gaps around the edges of the hopper, a heavyweight, a mandatory use of bellows, regular alignment challenges, a plastic adjust collar that mis-threaded easily, vinyl wrap instead of powder coating, and the all-but-mandatory need for two aftermarket upgrades (anti-popcorning, declumper). The DF64 Gen 2 addresses these issues and many more.
The DF64 has a powerful 250W motor that spins the burrs at about 1,400 RPM. This is a little faster than the Encore ESP, but it’s still slower than other popular burr grinders like the Mahlkönig EK43. The DF64 is also less noisy than the Encore ESP, making it easier to work with in a busy cafe environment.
The DF64 has an easy-to-read, step-by-step adjustment system that allows you to fine-tune your grind size for different brewing methods. It also comes with a wide selection of burrs, which makes it possible to experiment and find the perfect grind for your particular coffee bean. The DF64 also has a convenient dosing system, which allows you to direct the ground coffee directly into your portafilter or mug.
Fellow Ode
A popular maker of home coffee equipment, Fellow makes some seriously aesthetically appealing gear. Their kettles, French presses, and other home coffee brewing machines have an elegant and modern matte finish that suits any kitchen aesthetic. With this in mind, it should be no surprise that their grinders look equally as good. The Ode is a sleek and compact grinder with a number of easy-to-use features designed for precise, single-dose brewing.
The Ode is unique among coffee grinders because it uses flat burrs, rather than conical ones. Usually, you only see flat burrs on professional or commercial grinders due to their ability to reduce grind time and heat generation and improve grind particle consistency. The 64mm flat burrs in the Ode also give it a much smoother grind than you would find in a typical home appliance grinder. And they are designed with single-dosing in mind, meaning that the grinder shuts off as soon as the hopper is empty. This helps to prevent over-grinding, which can rob your brews of flavor and aroma.
The hopper itself holds 100 grams, which is enough for one large pour-over or two small cups of espresso. The Ode has a variety of other neat features, including a built-in scale and a cool grind size chart that is mapped out on the underside of the lid. This shows the brewing methods that each setting is most suitable for, with pour-over and cold brews on the fine end of the range, and French press on the coarse end.
Another great feature of the Ode is that it has a quiet, almost purr-like sound during operation and is very fast. The grinder has a high-force spring that knocks excess ground beans and chaff into the catch, which helps to reduce grind retention and make clean-up a breeze. It’s also very easy to disassemble and is compatible with coffee tablet cleaners.
Despite some minor hiccups in the initial launch, the Ode is still a top contender for those looking for an excellent and aesthetically pleasing conical burr grinder. Fortunately, the company is committed to improving the product and recently released the Gen 2 version, which addresses some of the issues with the original. However, for those who want a better-suited grinder for espresso, the Baratza DF64 is an excellent alternative that is both visually and functionally superior to the Fellow Ode.